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Apple hints at iPad news in March 2 event invitation

Apple has sent out event invitations for an announcement on March 2, all but …

Apple has officially announced a special media event that will be taking place at 10am Pacific Time on March 2. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The event invitation doesn't give any specific hints as to what it will be about, but the art design is a major hint that supports the belief that Apple will introduce the next-generation iPad (and possibly the next major version of iOS).

Kara Swisher at All Things D pegged the date for the rumored event on Tuesday this week, saying the next-gen iPad would be introduced on March 2. That's exactly one week away, so we're hardly surprised to see the invitations go out to members of the press today. The invitation (pictured above) reads "Come see what 2011 will be the year of," with the calendar peeling back to reveal an iPad in the corner.

In the last several years, Apple has held media events in March or April in order to preview the next major version of iOS. In 2010, Apple introduced the iPad at an event in late January, but the device wasn't available to the public until early April. The timing of this year's March event has led many to believe that Apple will roll these announcements together into one, but it looks like Apple is trying to be coy this time around with the invitation hints. Ars will be at the event to cover the goings on live, so stay tuned to find out what Apple will drop on us next.

Jacqui Cheng
Jacqui is an Editor at Large at Ars Technica, where she has spent the last eight years writing about Apple culture, gadgets, social networking, privacy, and more. Emailjacqui@arstechnica.com//Twitter@eJacqui

Man, am I excited. That rumor about September release scared me, then when it was debunked, it angered me. You don't mess with people like that. I have been waiting patiently but I'm about out of patience.

Regardless, the camera, if that is all that is added with more RAM, will justify the wait. Here's to a march release date... just hoping.

I think it's telling that a Maps icon is poking through in the background. If they use this event to preview iOS 5, I think they'll also introduce a new Apple Maps service, which will replace Google Maps as the default mapping service on all iOS devices, and probably back into the Mac as well in iPhoto. I haven't heard anybody speculate on Apple Maps in iOS 5, but I think it's inevitable given that:

1) Google Maps is a weak spot for Apple now that Google is such a strong competitor. I think Apple will be happy to continue to use Google Search as the default search engine, but I'm sure they want to move away from relying so heavily on Google's mapping service

2) Apple bought Placebase and Poly9, two startup mapping services, a couple years ago and hasn't done anything with them yet. I think these services will be hosted in the NC Data Center and we will see mapping integrated into more of Apple's apps. Maybe we will also see native turn-by-turn directions and downloadable maps.

I think it's telling that a Maps icon is poking through in the background. If they use this event to preview iOS 5, I think they'll also introduce a new Apple Maps service, which will replace Google Maps as the default mapping service on all iOS devices, and probably back into the Mac as well in iPhoto. I haven't heard anybody speculate on Apple Maps in iOS 5, but I think it's inevitable given that:

1) Google Maps is a weak spot for Apple now that Google is such a strong competitor. I think Apple will be happy to continue to use Google Search as the default search engine, but I'm sure they want to move away from relying so heavily on Google's mapping service

2) Apple bought Placebase and Poly9, two startup mapping services, a couple years ago and hasn't done anything with them yet. I think these services will be hosted in the NC Data Center and we will see mapping integrated into more of Apple's apps. Maybe we will also see native turn-by-turn directions and downloadable maps.

I think it's telling that a Maps icon is poking through in the background. If they use this event to preview iOS 5, I think they'll also introduce a new Apple Maps service, which will replace Google Maps as the default mapping service on all iOS devices, and probably back into the Mac as well in iPhoto. I haven't heard anybody speculate on Apple Maps in iOS 5, but I think it's inevitable given that:

1) Google Maps is a weak spot for Apple now that Google is such a strong competitor. I think Apple will be happy to continue to use Google Search as the default search engine, but I'm sure they want to move away from relying so heavily on Google's mapping service

2) Apple bought Placebase and Poly9, two startup mapping services, a couple years ago and hasn't done anything with them yet. I think these services will be hosted in the NC Data Center and we will see mapping integrated into more of Apple's apps. Maybe we will also see native turn-by-turn directions and downloadable maps.

Also, "Come see what 2011 will be the year of."? Did a second grader write that? It sounds ridiculous

That said, that sounds like it's more important than what has recently been rumored, thinner plus cameras.

I've actually got a suspicion that the rumors of a late release, the rumors of a release soon, the rumors of a retina display, and the rumors of no retina display may all be true.

This is pure speculation, but...

Wifi now, 1024x768 display3G September, 2048x1536 display

That way, all the rumors are true, they don't completely Osborne themselves by making everyone wait until September to get an "iPad 2", and they don't screw over adopters of the "iPad 2" by releasing an "iPad 3" in September without telling anyone.

I think it's telling that a Maps icon is poking through in the background.

I would lean more towards "roadmap" for the future of the platform if there is anything behind the symbolism. Apple has used those route signs contained in the icon before in reference to roadmaps in the past.

draiko wrote:

Apple is getting too cocky. The only reason they launched this invite is because everyone was uncertain about them launching a competative product on schedule.

Also, "Come see what 2011 will be the year of."? Did a second grader write that? It sounds ridiculous

[/quote]

Yes, marketing copy is a grammarian's worst nightmare. Kind of like putting double-spaces between sentances, as if the computer were a typewriter, am I right? I hope your day gets better, meanwhile.

Such transgressinons nevertheless have an intended purpose within that sphere of communication that literal and correct structure wouldn't permit. It's been over 10 years since you've had the opportunity to ... Think Different.

Apple is getting too cocky. The only reason they launched this invite is because everyone was uncertain about them launching a competative product on schedule.

Selling 15 million of product when nobody else has come even remotely close in competing does tend to make one cocky, this much is true.

However, I can't imagine how this is a reflexive invitation. What are they worried about? The Xoom? It's more expensive by $300, and it's major feature, Flash support, has been quietly relegated to "it'll come soon" status. Xoom is emerging as the face of Honeycomb, which does not benefit the Android platform at all.

Concerns that Apple wouldn't launch "on time" were based on deadlines that anyone other than Apple had set, and Apple has no reason to be beholden to the speculation of morons.

However, I can't imagine how this is a reflexive invitation. What are they worried about? The Xoom? It's more expensive by $300, and it's major feature, Flash support, has been quietly relegated to "it'll come soon" status. Xoom is emerging as the face of Honeycomb, which does not benefit the Android platform at all.

$300 from what? The iPad model that has half the internal flash, wifi-only and no cameras?

Also, I don't think Adobe Flash is it's "Major Feature". But yeah, that's one way to look at the device I guess.